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My Christmas Wishlist 2017

I asked on my Facebook page, would you lovely lot be interested in seeing my Christmas Wishlist for 2017. I toyed with doing gift guides this year. But, I feel a bit weird recommending things that I haven’t tried myself. I’m not really in the position blog wise or financially to get lots of lovely things together myself…maybe one day 🙂

You guys were so supportive of a Christmas Wishlist post. And so was John too may I add. He’s very excited to have a list of all the bits and bobs I would love under the tree. Makes his job a bit easier 🙂 Now, I am not expecting all of these, don’t worry. And also, we’ve decided not to do really big pressies this year either. In an ideal world, I would be getting a Dyson hairdryer, an iPhone X and a new bed, but that’s a big excessive. I would also be totally sticking a Nintendo Switch down on my list too if money was no object.

Oh and also if I didn’t have carpal tunnel from playing Mario on the DS. No, I am not ashamed of it 🙂 But we’re being somewhat sensible and going for more medium range pressies and some little bits and bobs for each other too this Christmas.

Enough jabbering on. Let’s get on to my actual Christmas Wishlist.

First up would have to be a L’Oréal Steampod.

So many of my blogging friends have literally said this has changed their hair lives. I’m still using a first edition GHD which is pretty shameful, I know. This would be a lovely addition to my hair tool collection. This is the 2.0 version. You can find it currently on offer from Look Fantastic here.

The Mac Snowball Mini Lipstick Kit has been something I’ve been eyeing up for ages, but definitely do not need.

It contains 12 mini lipsticks of some of Mac’s best selling shades. I actually couldn’t find it available online anywhere else now except John Lewis here. It’s the cheapest I have seen it in the past though. Only thing is they won’t ship it to Ireland so you would have to use Parcel Motel or Address Pal to ship it to a UK address and then get them to deliver it here. Not the worst though. It’s a very reasonable and effective way to do it.

Another beauty product on my list would be the By Terry Baume De Rose.

I do love a fancy lip balm so I do. It’s a lovely treat. And lip balm is something I use consistently everyday. This one is full of lovely ingredients and has SPF. It can also double up for dry skin or cuticles aswell. You can find By Terry in store from Space NK or online here. They have a Christmas ornament version of it too, which is super cute.

I waffle on about the L’Occitance Almond Shower Oil all the time. (I only hauled some of it here recently).

Well this is the body oil version of it and I really want to try it. I am currently obsessed with body oils at the minute. The colder weather definitely has something to do it it. This 100ml of the oil is actually on special at the minute from Debenhams here. Such a lovely gift to get someone.

The last more beauty related item on my list is something quite practical. An electric toothbrush!

I have to be honest, I picked this one from Boots here for a couple of not so logical reasons. It’s currently half price at €45.99. I figured that was a good deal. And it’s an Oral B. They are the only reasons. I’ve tried electrical toothbrushes over the years and they’ve always been crap so I’ve always gone back to manual brushing. But they’ve come a long way since then and they’re meant to clean so much better than just using a standard toothbrush. Ok, I’ll shut up now, I sound like an advert.

I have my sights set on a couple of pairs of shoes this festive season. This first pair are these awesome buckle ankle boots from River Island.

I’m not usually a fan of faux crocodile skin, but I think it just works for these. I love the buckle detailing and I also love that they have a zip for ease. They’re flat for comfort, but still look super smart. They’re current stock on the website here.

My other shoe want are some Vans Old Skool runners.

Everyone and their granny has a pair of these at the moment I know. But they’re just so darn cool. I couldn’t find the classic black and white ones in my size online. But, I came across these all black ones here and I actually really dig them! Let me know what you think?

I was never one for particularly nice jewellery. Penneys costume would do me grand. Ever since getting my engagement ring though, I’ve become more interested in investing in some nice pieces. The Missoma website has become a bit of a haunt for me. YouTube definitely makes me do it. I’ve three pieces from Missoma that my eyes are currently on.

The first ones are their Talisman Evil Eye Earrings.

Super delicate and pretty. They’re on the website here.

Another pair of earrings are haunting my dreams too.

Again, super small and delicate. I have my ears pierced three times and already have actual diamond studs (how fancy am I?), in the third hole. John got me them last Christmas. So in an ideal earring world these would round out my trio of ear adorments 🙂 They are the Gold Vermeil Tiny Orb Hinged Hoops if you want to check them out here.

My third Missoma love is their Tiny Horn Necklace.

These come in different sizes, I just like the idea of wearing the small one on an everyday basis. It’s from the Lucy Williams collection here.

Another accessory I have my eye on (John actually knows all about this already) is this Casio Rose Gold Watch.

This has been in my ASOS Wishlist folder for ages. I often add things into it in hopes they go down in price and I can justify buying them. I love the masculine feel of this, but it’s still quite delicate and classic. You can check out more info about it here.

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf is always part of my fragrance collection. But I thought I would add their newest release BonBon to my Christmas Wishlist for this year.

It’s much sweeter and more girlie. I think it would be lovely layered with Flowerbomb as well as worn on it’s own. I’ve tested it a few times in store now and really like it. It’s currently on sale from Debenhams here.

My very last wishlist item will only mean anything to you if you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls.

I fell in love with this print after seeing it in the background of Karissa Pukas’ videos. She told me she ordered it from Etsy. I found the seller here. Unfortunately the creator is in the States so shipping to Ireland is pretty steep, but I still definitely would. I really really love this.

And….we’re done. If you got to the end of this, well done you! Let me know what’s on your Christmas Wishlist for this Christmas?

Thanks, as always for taking the time to read.

xxx

December 8, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup Tutorial, Youtube Video

theBalm Cosmetics Full Face Makeup Look

The theme is definitely in the title. This is a full face of makeup using one brand, theBalm Cosmetics.

I did a post a little while ago about their newest releases here. It’s only fair that these make an appearance in the video, as well as some well known products too.

This is my first time really delving into theBalm Cosmetics like this. I am definitely only a dabbler in the brand. All that I had tried though I did enjoy. Especially Mary-Lou and their ‘Put A Lid on It’ eyeshadow primer. (I reviewed this here ages ago too).

I was lucky enough to get sent these products from theBalm Cosmetics to test out, so most of them are new to me, so you will be getting my first impressions on them too. As always I’ll list everything below, with a link to where you can get them:

Timebalm Primer. Available from Debenhams here. theBalm PR told me this has really similar ingredients to their eyeshadow primer so I used this on my lids too.
Even Steven Foundation in light. Available here.
Brow Pow in light and dark brown. Available here.
Foiled Again Eyeshadow Palette. (Only available in store from Debenhams at the minute).
Schwing Liquid Liner. Available here.
Mad Lash Mascara. Available here.
Sexy Mama Translucent Powder. Available here.
Bahama Mama Bronzing Powder. Available here.
Girls’ getaway Trio. Available here.
Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter. Available here.
Bonnie-Lou Manizer. (Only available in store from Debenhams right now).

The look I ended up creating was similar to a look I shared on social media a couple of weeks ago that went down quite well. So I thought I would recreate it using all theBalm Cosmetics products. (I had just used the Foiled Again Palette initially).

I am really happy overall with how all the products performed. On first impressions, I will definitely use all of them again. I’ll keep you posted about how I get on.

You can watch the full video above or go directly to my YouTube channel here. Be sure to let me know what you think 🙂

xxx

******CONTAINS PR SAMPLES******

November 10, 2017/by Gem

Lifestyle

Galgorm Resort & Spa

I was very kindly invited to the very beautiful Galgorm Resort & Spa a few weeks ago. If you follow me on social media, you would have seen myself and John being treated like royalty to celebrate their Wellness Day and their new extended facilities.

We were blown away the minute we stepped out of the car in all honesty. The grounds of Galgorm Resort & Spa are so beautiful, our candid snaps do not do it much justice.

Galgorm cater for weddings and big occasions too, so they have two Rolls Royce casually parked on the grounds for when they are needed. There was actually a wedding on that day so one was away on duty 🙂

The foyer.

There was a small group of us including press and bloggers, so we partook in the Wellness Party Package. Here’s a link to it on the website. It includes:
• Celtic Sauna Ritual
• Body & Mind Class
• 1 course lunch in Gillies
• Private use of the group treatment suite for 3 hours
• Smoothie & fruit on arrival
• Thermal Village Experience
• 25 minute treatment each
£90 per person Mon – Thurs/ £100 per person Fri – Sun
Based on a minimum of 10 people

I’m just going to include all the pics I took to give you a bit of an insight. We did spend alot of the day in the water so I couldn’t bring the camera too close, but it might give you an idea of what to expect.

The spa uses products from both Aromatherapy Associates and Voya.

The Galgorm Resort & Spa Thermal Village contains an Orangery, the Celtic Sauna, a snow cabin, a Sanarium, snail showers, waterbeds, and an indoor pool. Then, the River House is situated in the middle of it all where the private treatments take place.

We did some exercise to begin with and then went and experienced the Celtic sauna Ritual, which was like nothing I have ever done before. I’ll quote Galgorm here if that’s ok to describe 🙂 ‘Originating in Finland and now practised world-wide this is Galgorm’s unique presentation on the Aufguss sauna ritual. Your Sauna Master will guide through this meditative experience where a ritual with towels is used to agitate the air, lessening the intensity of the heat and allowing you to breathe in the essential oils infused into the air. You will complete the ritual with a meditation session in the River House followed by rejuvenation and refreshment in the Orangery where you can float away into a state of utter relaxation.’

After lunch, it was time for our spa treatments. I opted for a back and shoulder massage, that made me feel like bubble wrap. All my knots and tension was taken care of. John opted for a eye treatment and was so relaxed he actually fell asleep on the bed 🙂

And then, we just spent the rest of the day in the sauna, pool and hot tub hopping. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon, right?

Our room for the night was one of the newly built deluxe room that overlook the Thermal Village. This was our view for the evening.

Because we were so darn relaxed, we forgot to take some pictures of the room before we messed it all up. Here’s some from the next day, but you get the gist 🙂 All the formal info of their deluxe rooms is here.

The bed felt like a king size marshmallow and I wanted to bring the light up mirror in the bathroom home, not going to lie 🙂

The room comes with a complimentary mini bar which is a really nice added extra. It has some snacks and drinks, and includes Galgorm’s very own craft beer. This can only be gotten in the resort. John being the beer connoisseur that he is, really enjoyed it.

In the evening we were treated to a really tasty meal in the on site Italian restaurant Fratelli’s.

After undoing all the wellness of the day with lots of delicious grub, we ended the night in the Gin Bar. A gin lovers paradise.

The next morning, we had breakfast before we left, which was a sit down affair with a buffet full of fruit and pastries and then whatever you want from the menu. It was the perfect way to end a beautiful and relaxing break at Galgorm.

We ended our stay in Northern Ireland with a trip to the Giant’s Causeway. The weather was pretty miserable, but it’s such a beautiful part of the country, so it was worth it 🙂

Overall, our experience in Galgorm Spa & Resort was an amazing one. Neither myself or John had ever been on a spa break and after this, we’re already planning our next one.

If you are looking for somewhere to go as a treat to unwind and relax, I would hand on hear recommend it.

Thank you so much to all the staff for having us.

xxx

August 5, 2016/by Gem

Bargain Buying, Makeup

Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks

When I saw these Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks, I knew at first glance they had to be mine. I am a sucker for anything rose gold…it’s an illness really.

I went to the couple of Superdrug‘s in Dublin and neither had them instore which was a pain, but I eventually ordered them last week with their new ‘Fortune Favours The Brave’ Palette, which I have swatched here, if you’re interested 🙂

There’s Five in the Makeup Revolution Rose Gold lipstick range and I managed to get my mitts on all of them, which I was quite happy about as the nude shade had been sold out when I had looked on their website before.

Let’s start with how cute the lipstick bullets are.

Now I know they look quite similar to Mac lippies, they are lighter in weight though (which I don’t personally mind) and they have the colour of the lipstick on the bottom, which I personally love 🙂 Saves you having to open every one of them to find the shade you are looking for.

The five shades are:

‘Chauffeur’

This is the nude of the bunch.

Girl’s Best Friend’

This a hot pink.

‘Red Carpert’

Which is of course a classic blue toned red.

‘Diamond Life’

A more cherry red shade.

And finally, ‘Private Member’s Club’

A dark berry shade.

All of the Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks have a shiny finish to them. As you can see the pigment on the lips varies from shade to shade. The nude, pink and red seem to have a richer colour pay off then the two darker shades. I can’t really give you any indication of longevity or anything as I have yet to wear any of them for a long period of time. I can say they are comfortable to wear on the lips though.

You can pick up the Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks from their website here and they will set you back £3, which is not bad at all, right?

March 23, 2016/1 Comment/by Gem

Bargain Buying, Makeup

Longlasting Lipliner From Essence

I bought a couple of lipliners from the Longlasting Lipliner range from Essence randomly when I was in Lanzarote. And I liked them so much and they are so cheap (I think they cost €1.80) I had to pick up another couple when I got back. Essence have more colour choices in these. I just have four of them here to show you today. I reckon I’ll end up with all of them at some point though 🙂

They are mechanical lipliners in plastic very durable packaging (especially considering how much they cost).

The pencil itself is soft, pigmented and applies really smoothly. I would say they wear well, but they do wear. You’ll be left with a stain to your lips after eating and drinking rather than full on colour. Of course, if you use them under lipstick or lipgloss they will definitely help the longevity of them.

The four colours I have (so far) are:

06 ‘A Girl’s Dream’

To me this is a dark pink with a red undertone.

03’Yummy Berry’.

This is a deep raspberry pink.

02 ‘Sweetheart’.

Is a brighter pink but with a more nude undertone (I think this my favourite of the four I have).

Then finally 04 ‘Peach Beauty’.

An orangey peach shade.

The colour range of these Essence Longlasting Lipliners are really great too. Very logical shades that work for everyday use on their own and also to use under other lip products you already may have. You can see all the shade choices on the Essence website here

Essence Cosmetics are available nationwide. I got the Longlasting Lipliners in Penneys, but there are so many independent pharmacies all over Ireland now stocking the brand which is brilliant. They are really doing a good job of making great makeup with lots of products to choose from and for an amazing price point. I reviewed so many Essence products in 2015 and they come out with new lines all the time so I am sure I will be reviewing lots more in 2016.

Let me know what you think?

And thanks for reading, as always 🙂

xxx

January 11, 2016/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup, Makeup Tools

Nima Brush ‘Girls On Tour’ Travel Set

If you haven’t heard of Nima, eh where have you been living? 🙂 They are an Irish owned makeup brush owned created by the lovely Niamh Martin. I’ve waffled loads about different brushes here on Beautynook in the past. I’m a big fan. Nima Brush’s last big release was the Artistic Collection which I spoke about in more detail here if you fancy a nose.

Nima Brush’s newest additions to their every growing brand is the ‘Girls On Tour’ Travel Set. They are seven of some of the most loved brushes from the Artistic Collection in a more travel friendly form, and in a really cute Nima pouch. The set costs €55 and you can pick it up from the Nima site here.

First off, how gorgeous are these brushes? If you are on the hunt for a Christmas pressie for a makeup lover…or a treat for yourself, I think Nima have you covered. The Girls On Tour Set would be great for bringing on holidays or just to have in your handbag for touch ups.

I think the choice of brushes are really thought out and have you everything you need for doing your makeup on the go.

Here’s the low down on Girls On Tour:

The ‘Blaithin’ is included.

This is probably my most reached for Nima Brush, I have the full handle sized version. I use it for contour mostly which you can see in action here but I love it for blush and powder too.

We also get the ‘Jane’.

The softest duo fibre stipping brush ever!

The ‘Tara’.

Perfect for blush, bronzer,contour the works.

The ‘Girls On Tour’ set also contains another one of my favourites from the Artistic Collection, the ‘Debs’.

This is a gorgeous blending eyeshadow brush.

The ‘Patricia’

A duo fibre tapered eyeshadow brush.

The ‘Ollie’.

I would describe this as a smudger brush, perfect for the lash line.

And finally, the ‘Danielle’.

Danielle is an angled duo fibre brush. I would use this for brows,liner or even lip definition.

The only real differences between the Girl’s On Tour collection and the Artistic Collection version of the brushes is the slight change in colour and the length of the brush handle. The actual brushes are the same great quality that we’ve grown to expect from Nima.

I have small child like hands so for me the Girls On Tour set will probably end up becoming part of my everyday makeup. For now, I’m trying really hard to keep them to bring on holiday with me next month…wish me luck 🙂

xxx

November 26, 2015/1 Comment/by Gem

Posts

And….we’re done. If you got to the end of this, well done you! Let me know what’s on your Christmas Wishlist for this Christmas?

Thanks, as always for taking the time to read.

xxx

The theme is definitely in the title. This is a full face of makeup using one brand, theBalm Cosmetics.

Timebalm Primer. Available from Debenhams here. theBalm PR told me this has really similar ingredients to their eyeshadow primer so I used this on my lids too.

Even Steven Foundation in light. Available here.

Brow Pow in light and dark brown. Available here.

Foiled Again Eyeshadow Palette. (Only available in store from Debenhams at the minute).

Schwing Liquid Liner. Available here.

Mad Lash Mascara. Available here.

Sexy Mama Translucent Powder. Available here.

Bahama Mama Bronzing Powder. Available here.

Girls’ getaway Trio. Available here.

Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter. Available here.

Bonnie-Lou Manizer. (Only available in store from Debenhams right now).

You can watch the full video above or go directly to my YouTube channel here. Be sure to let me know what you think 🙂

I was very kindly invited to the very beautiful Galgorm Resort & Spa a few weeks ago. If you follow me on social media, you would have seen myself and John being treated like royalty to celebrate their Wellness Day and their new extended facilities.

We were blown away the minute we stepped out of the car in all honesty. The grounds of Galgorm Resort & Spa are so beautiful, our candid snaps do not do it much justice.

Galgorm cater for weddings and big occasions too, so they have two Rolls Royce casually parked on the grounds for when they are needed. There was actually a wedding on that day so one was away on duty 🙂

When I saw these Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks, I knew at first glance they had to be mine. I am a sucker for anything rose gold…it’s an illness really.